Taking exception to 600 Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders being served with notices during the one-year Amaravati protests commemoration day, party’s national president N.Chandrababu Naidu on Friday termed the police action as violation of fundamental rights.
He urged the Director General of Police (DGP) Gautam Sawang to protect the rights of citizens and opposition leaders to express their dissenting voices.
“The police notices were in total violation of Article 19 (1) (A), 19(1) (B) and 19 (1) (D) of the Constitution of India that provided freedom of speech and peaceful assembly of people,” said the former Chief Minister.
In a letter to Sawang, he reminded him that the even during the British rule, peaceful protests were permitted, enabling the freedom fighters to use those rights to attain independence for the country.
“Instead of using all energy to suppress the democratic protests of the people, the DGP should give some focus to the maintenance of law and order in the state. Unlawful notices were given to over 600 TDP leaders and activists,” he highlighted.
According to Naidu, fundamental rights were being denied and suppressed since the day Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) came to power.
“The law and order had badly deteriorated over the months. Some sections of the police were solely focusing on suppression of rights rather than prevention of crimes and atrocities,” alleged the TDP supremo.
He highlighted that authorities were forgetting the fact that protest and dissent were the hallmarks of a vibrant democracy.
“A government which came to power through a democratic process of election was now attacking those democratic foundations. Some police officials were colluding with the YSRCP leaders to stifle the voices of the people,” Naidu claimed in his letter to the DGP.
Naidu reiterated that it was the bounden duty of the police to safeguard the fundamental rights assured to people in letter and spirit as per the Constitution.